China's Aerospace 'Super Plan' to Achieve Major Breakthrough At Far End of Sky

Liao Shumin

DATE : Mar 12 2018/SOURCE : Yicai

China's Aerospace 'Super Plan' to Achieve Major Breakthrough At Far End of Sky

(Yicai Global) March 12 -- The Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, CASIC, is working with relevant Chinese nuclear power research and design entities to carry out demonstration and key technology research of space nuclear power solutions, its director said, as China has entered the so-called "Super 2018" in its space program through which it expects major achievements.

CASIC will put forward multiple solutions including nuclear thermal-related ones in the future. The Chinese aerospace community aims to achieve a major breakthrough in nuclear power space shuttles around 2040, reported China News Service, the country's second-largest state-run news agency, citing Liu Zhirang, director of the Sixth Academy of CASIC and a deputy to the National People's Congress of China.

As China's aerospace industry calls this year "Super 2018," multiple representatives from the aerospace industry introduced the "super plan" for the next few decades during the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference now meeting in Beijing.

To this end, CASC is advancing the establishment of major projects such as heavy-lift carrier, manned lunar landing, recycling aerospace transportation systems, and demonstration and verification projects, said Bao Weimin, director of the science & technology commission of CASC and a member of the national committee of CPPCC.

To carry out manned lunar landing, China has to first solve the carrier problem. The country is now working on the key technologies and solution demonstration of three types of liquid engines for its heavy rocket and is expected to carry out the first heavy rocket launch around 2030.

China has begun the research of a new-generation manned spacecraft, with eyes set on the international cutting-edge technologies, said Zhang Bainan, chief architect of the manned spacecraft system of China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and a deputy to the National People's Congress. The new spacecraft can be used for manned lunar landing and can be recycled and used for various other purposes.

China is now planning phase 4 of its moon exploration program and may build a base on the moon in the future, Zhao Xiaojin, CPC secretary & deputy director of CAST and a member of the 13th National Committee of CPPCC, told reporters.